The Best Brands for Sustainable, Ethical, and Cozy Sweaters

Image credit: Christy Dawn

This post contains some affiliate links, which means if you make a purchase, EcoCult receives a small percentage of the sale price. We only recommend brands that we truly believe in. Support our editorial work by supporting them!

Sweater season is finally upon us. If your cold-weather closet is lacking long-lasting, classic, chunky knits and cardigans that fit your style, it’s time to revamp your wardrobe with timeless and long-lasting pieces. Fortunately, many brands offer high-quality knits that are created using non-toxic, natural, and sustainable materials.

The brands on this list are bursting with versatile and gorgeous sweaters that are designed to keep you warm and comfortable for years to come. Before you buy, let us walk you through our criteria for a good, eco-friendly sweater:

Natural Fibers:  When shopping for sweaters, be discerning with the fabrics you choose. Avoid cheap sweaters made with acrylic or polyester fibers. Not only do synthetics retain odor, they also contain dyes that can set off your skin issues. Look for brands that use high-quality, natural materials such as organic cotton, cashmere, alpaca, yak, merino wool, and Tencel. Sweaters made of these materials will be safer, more breathable, and stay comfortable for years to come (with proper care, of course.)

Fair Labor: There’s no reason to buy a machine-made sweater, when knitting is such a widespread artisan tradition! Look for brands that map their supply chains and are forthcoming about their labor practices and that have certifications such as Fair Trade USA and The Fair Wear Foundation.

Responsible Care: A good sweater should last you for years, not a single season. In addition to buying pieces made of natural fibers, take proper care of them. Avoid dry-clean-only sweaters, as the chemical solvents used in this process have negative health and environmental effects. Wool sweaters can be worn longer between washes because of their natural resistance to odor, so just hang it up to air out before you put it away. Spot-cleaning stains is fine! When it does come time to handwash your sweaters, avoid detergents with protease enzymes, which can cause irreversible damage to wool. Try a special wool soap to keep your wool hydrated and happy.

Pre-loved Platform: Some brands host second-hand marketplaces for their customers to buy and sell their garments on. If you’re in the market for a great sweater and are looking to save some money, this may be the perfect option for you. It’s like thrift shopping directly from a brand that you know makes pieces that will last.

Responsible Packaging: You can avoid throwing away a lot of plastic packaging waste by shopping from brands that use recyclable, reusable, or compostable mailers and garment bags.

Non-Toxic Dyes and Finishes:  A recent study examined shredded fabrics bound for recycling and found all wool samples contained some sort of NPEO, an endocrine disruptor that can mess with your hormones, and commonly tested positive for chromium, a toxic heavy metal. To avoid these unsafe toxins, heavy metals, and endocrine disrupters widely used in wool processing and dyeing, buy from brands that only use natural and organic dyes or have a bluesign or Oeko-Tex label.

PAKA

PAKA makes incredibly warm sweaters from locally-sourced alpaca wool in the Peruvian Andes. This material makes its collection of sweaters and hoodies odor-resistant, moisture-wicking, and soft yet durable. Each product is hand-made by women artisans with all Oeko-Tex-certified materials and organic dyes. The brand uses completely biodegradable and compostable packaging and is a personal favorite of our sensitive skin columnist.

Cottonique

Allergen-focused brand Cottonique creates sweaters, cardigans, and other cold-weather accessories from 100% organic cotton. Its hypoallergenic collection features a variety of knit styles in staple colors, making its sweaters a great option for layering. 

Tradlands

Tradlands crafts small batches of cotton cardigans and alpaca sweaters. Its selection is sourced and manufactured in Peru and is designed to combat fast fashion through versatility and a low cost per wear. It includes a variety of necklines in classic colors that are easy to match with both fall and early spring outfits. The brand uses 100% compostable garment bags and hosts a platform where you can buy and sell pre-loved Tradland pieces.

Mate the Label

Certified B-Corp Mate the Label features a line of soft, non-toxic alpaca wool sweaters that are crafted with Peruvian Superfine Alpaca wool and 100% organic cotton. Its entire alpaca sweater collection is undyed, and the natural colors are a result of the natural hues of wool and cotton. The brand excludes 31 chemicals and 49 dye substances from all its clothing.

Alex Crane

Australian merino wool and 100% organic cotton make up the simple, yet versatile unisex sweaters offered by Alex Crane. The brand’s sweaters are available in both solid and heathered hues. You can even find a range of organic cotton hoodies that are designed for everyday wear.

Christy Dawn

Christy Dawn has a selection of beautifully classic sweaters designed to keep you warm in every season of your life. They’re made from organic cotton and alpaca wool that’s sourced and organically dyed in India. The brand maintains a short supply chain in which every member of the team plays a direct role in manufacturing. Make sure you check the washing directions, as some are hand washable while others are dry clean only.

Kotn

Crafted in Portugal and Egypt from natural fibers, B-Corp certified brand Kotn offers up elevated sweater styles that go with any look. The brand starts with fibers including organic cotton and extra-fine lambswool, spins them into fine yarn, and knits them into stunning, timeless designs that are made to last. 

The Knotty Ones

The Knotty Ones is a Lithuanian-based sweater brand founded in 2011 by three best friends. It employs over 70 female Lithuanian artisans and partners with local women-run factories that ensure living wages and safe working conditions. The brand draws inspiration from its pagan roots and Baltic heritage to create warm and gorgeous small-batch sweaters. Its cruelty and plastic-free yarns are dyed with certified Oeko-Tex non-toxic dyes, and all of its products come in compostable packaging.

Eileen Fisher

A little luxury can go a long way in your wardrobe. Eileen Fisher creates beautiful, timeless sweaters from non-toxic, natural fibers such as cashmere, wool, and cotton. You can find everything from oversized sweaters and cardigans to cozy knit vests and pullovers, so you can be warm for every occasion.

Filippa K

Filippa K offers a selection of neutral-colored sweaters in a variety of unique cuts, including crops, shrugs, and funnel necks. They’re made of fully traceable and naturally-dyed Swedish wool, merino wool, yak wool, and cashmere. The details of each garment’s manufacturing history are available on every product page. It’s a member of the Fair Wear Foundation, which performs routine factory audits and performance check-ups. The brand also has a preowned section where its community can buy and sell second-hand Filippa K pieces.

Jyoti Fair Works

This German-Indian fashion label works closely with small stitching workshops and family-owned factories to design timeless and long-lasting clothing and accessories. It only uses GOTS-certified organic cotton to create its limited biannual collections. The brand features each member of its manufacturing partners on its website to show transparency throughout its supply chain, and ensures adaptable hours for working parents.

Noah

This American brand takes inspiration from skate, surf, and music cultures to make comfortable and cool modern menswear. It uses wool from Scotland, England, Australia, and cotton from Portugal, and the US, as well as Italian alpaca blends. Its collection of quality garments includes loungewear, shoes, sweaters, and even DIY suiting.

Armed Angels

Armed Angels uses recycled materials, organic cotton, and RWS-certified wool from suppliers that meet its own animal welfare guidelines. Its manufacturers use dyes permitted under GOTS, and apply manufacturing techniques that minimize fabric waste. It offers repair tutorials on its website to extend the life of your clothing and also offers a discount on your next purchase when you send in your old clothes.

1 People

This Danish luxury brand designs minimalist looks handcrafted by artisans. Its certifications include bluesign and Oeko-Tex. Its fabrics include recycled, natural, and bio-based materials, and it sends its deadstock fabric to a re-spinning mill in Java, Indonesia. Its supplier code of conduct, as well as detailed lists of manufacturers, are available on its website. The brand works with a family business in Bali that specialize in natural plant dyeing techniques.

Toad & Co

Toad & Co’s sweaters come in a variety of fun and flattering designs, including cardigans. It uses Oeko-Tex-approved fabrics such as wool and recycled blends for a breathable and comfortable fit. The brand also offers closet “clean-out” kits for those who want to sustainably get rid of their clothes and sends its orders in reusable mailers.